


Amid the Winter's Snow

by aichihuahua



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 25 Days of Fic, Christmas, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 15:03:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/737018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aichihuahua/pseuds/aichihuahua
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the defeat of Cora, Aurora and Hook are left to acclimate to Storybrooke during the Christmas season, forming something new as they experience the magic of the holidays. Written for the 25 Days of Fic challenge on Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this now in honor of last week's Sleeping Hook week on tumblr.

The Storybrooke convent's lawn was a cluster of people, glittering booths covered in holiday trinkets and treats, kids playing games, and twinkling colored lights overhead covering every tree and booth. Aurora stood at the entrance of the convent leaning her shoulder on one of the columns. She looked out across the lawn watching all of the happy townsfolk celebrating their odd but beautiful holiday along with their recent defeat of Cora.

Snow of course had helped Aurora and Mulan move on from the old world and situate themselves in Storybrooke. Now citizens of the magical town with new clothes, new jobs, and a new shared apartment home, they had no choice but to join in the celebration of the holiday called Christmas at the nun's Annual Christmas Festival at the beginning of the month.

Mulan and Aurora arrived together, but Aurora was left alone once Mulan ran into the general of her old army who now worked with her at the gym. Mulan was at first reluctant to leave her, but Aurora insisted that her friend go with him and fun.

It was time for them to move on. She had been told that this holiday was in celebration of a birth, Aurora was determined to embrace it and celebrate her own rebirth of her life.

Turning to go inside to escape the cold and to find food other than cookies and candy, Aurora ran into a man exiting the building, bumping into his chest almost knocking the both of them over.

"Watch where you're- Oh! Look who it is."

At the sound of the lilting voice, Aurora's head shot up to look at him and took a step away. Gone was her faint content smile at the sight of the now hookless and gloved prosthetic handed man who once stole (and returned) her heart, now replaced with hard eyes and signature raised eyebrow. Captain Hook or Killian Jones or whoever he was only watched her with amusement in his eyes and a smirk growing on his face.

"Enjoying the festivities princess?"

Deciding that the silent treatment was the way to go about handling the man, Aurora only blinked at him and tried to sidestep him but Hook was faster and blocked her path to the door. He grinned at her in beguilement.

"I personally fail to see the point of how these cookies and lights all relate to a baby and a fat man in red but to each his, or her, own I suppose." Winked Hook as he leaned in.

Aurora once again ducked right, Hook intercepted her, she moved left, and so did Hook. Wide eyed, she glared at the cocky pirate.

"Why are you talking to me? Do you need to use me for some other heinous plan of yours?" That wiped the grin off of the man's face, turning his expression neutral but his eyes troubled. He opened his mouth to respond when another voice appeared behind the pair.

"Aurora! There you are!" Snow threw her arms around Aurora's shoulders in a tight hug as David gave her a glowing smile. "We saw Mulan and we thought we'd find you... and Hook." The Charmings shot each other concerned glances across Aurora.

"Pleasure to see you two as well Your Majesty." The infuriating smile plastered back on Hook's face.

"Hm." Snow gave him a look and made to roll her eyes at his facade when her eyes focused on something above them causing her to release a giggle. She pulled a curious Aurora towards her giving her a peck on the cheek, turned to David and planted a kiss on her chuckling husband, and was leaning toward Hook when she realized who exactly she was moving towards and instead gave him an awkward pat on the chest.

"Um... What was that for?" Asked an extremely confused Aurora.

"Mistletoe." David pointed up to a leafed plant with red berries hanging above them from a string of lights. "It's a Christmas tradition. You kiss whoever is standing underneath it."

"Why?" Asked Aurora, looking offended at such an action.

"Uh. Well. It comes from..." David looked at Snow as he stuttered his attempt at an explanation of the little plant.

"We better hurry up to see if they're still serving dinner huh Charming?" Chimed Snow as she wrapped her arms around her husband's arm pulling him towards the door. "We'd love for you to come and join us Aurora!" With that, the Charmings left the princess and the pirate alone together under the mistletoe, one glaring at it while the other smiling.

"I think I'm going to like it here after all. Especially if they make up traditions where you're actually urged to steal kisses." He turned his grin towards the girl. "Well sweetheart, it was bound to happen sooner or later." Hook leaned in towards Aurora, eyes staring into her's daring her to turn away.

Aurora's cheeks heated at his intense stare, only worsening to see his eyes shift down focusing on her lips, his own parting to slide his tongue across his. But her embarrassment dissipated when she remembered who it was that was leaning in for a kiss. She slowly smiled and leaned in towards the man who stole from her, who still hasn't displayed any remorse for what he did. Hook's ready lips only twitched with a hint of a smile as he closed his eyes, readying for her to lean in the rest of the way.

But once Aurora's lips so close to Hook's as to feel his breath she whispered, "That plant couldn't make me kiss you even if it held my heart." And with that, she hurriedly brushed past him and through the entrance of the covenant closing the door behind her.

Hook opened his eyes and clenched his jaw at being jilted. But he saw her beautiful red cheeks when he first leaned in. And her sneaky trick that finally distracted him enough to be rid of him tickled a laugh from his throat as he thought about the strange but wonderful holiday tradition.

If this mistletoe is any inclination, this holiday is certainly going to be fun.


	2. Hot Chocolate

Aurora loved hot chocolate. She released a content sigh once she sipped the warm sweet drink. She loved the way it went down her throat, the heat radiating from her middle out to the tips of her fingers and her toes. It reminded her of when Mulan set her heart back into her chest. The drink reminded her that she was whole again and that she could feel.

The princess was sitting at the bar of Granny's, all of the other volunteers who had just finished cleaning up from the festival the night before were all around her enjoying the food for a job well done. Aurora thought back to the festivities. After eating dinner with Snow and Charming, Aurora met back up with Mulan and her general and spent the rest of the night visiting all of the different booths, trying to learn as much as they could about the different colored bulbs and the cookies in the shape of little men.

While being their third wheel should have made the evening impossible to enjoy, it did nothing to damper Aurora's enjoyment of the ornate decorations, the deep colors, and the magical lights. The holiday created a tingle in the air that she could feel in her nerves. It was like fairy magic. It reminded her of home.

But there was one thing that was off that night. After the mistletoe incident with Hook, Aurora could swear that he began following her. That at dinner, at the trinket booths, at the hot chocolate stand, until she left with Mulan late in the evening, she thought she spotted Hook in her periphery. But he would always disappear once she tried to get a better look.

A chime sounded and Aurora turned, as if he knew he was in her mind, Hook waltzed in to Granny's making his way toward the cashier at the far end of the bar. Aurora tucked her chin into her chest and leaned into the steam from her drink, trying to hide from him. Maybe he wouldn't see her. It's not like he was really following her the night before. She was just being paranoid.

"It'll take more than that to hide sweetie. You are the only girl in town who is insistent on wearing flowy skirts and loud tights in this weather." Said Hook as he sidled onto the stool next to her. Aurora whipped her hair back behind her back and straightened up, simultaneously not acknowledging the fact that she just tried to hide like a child and cursing her sky blue tights.

"So princess, how was your night after you so crudely left me high and dry without my kiss?"

Deciding to go back to her original plan on ignoring him, Aurora kept facing forward sipping her hot chocolate. And certainly not thinking about how she could still feel the ghost of his breath on her lips.

"You can't ignore my presence forever princess. You'll crack. I know you will." His shoulder on the bar, his bad hand between them, Hook leaned in ever closer, practically recreating their positions last night before she ran away. Ruby took that moment to bang his mug of hot chocolate on the bar, effectively startling Hook. From the glare she gave him as she walked away it looked as though she already hated him for what she'd heard, or he had put his moves on her when he ordered the drink.

Hook reached into his coat and pulled out a silver flask pouring some of the liquid into it. Aurora crinkled her nose as she watched. He then held up his mug, cheered, "To the hope she didn't spit in it," took a large sip.

From then on, the pirate didn't try to get her to talk to him anymore. Instead, he sat there next to the princess, both sipping from their drinks, waiting for her to make the next move at conversation. At one point when Aurora was almost finished with her cup readying to leave, Hook called "Another for the lady" in an attempt to keep her there.

He was right. She had to crack.

Aurora swiftly turned her attention to him, "What do you want with me? Why are you following me of all people?"

"I knew it." As she expected, a victorious smirk wound its way on his mouth. But then he turned his head away from her towards the rest of the diner, and his smirk morphed into a humorless smile.

"There's something about this holiday that inspires everyone here to join together as one big family, all hugging and kissing and singing off-key together." His own nose wrinkled as he grimaced. "Except this year it's all the more wonderful," He pulled a mocking grin and waved his fingers, "because of the broken curse."

"But then there's us." At this he turned back to facing her, face serious. "Left to act as though we are actually included in all of this. If a cold hearted man like me can feel it, I'm certain a delicate lass like you must."

While the majority of his words caused her to lose most of her cold facade, his last quip brought it back as she jutted out her chin.

"I'll have you know that Mulan and I have seamlessly melded into the community. It's like we were always here." claimed Aurora. He didn't have know that her stomach began to ache at the truth to his words. No matter how much she was beginning to like Christmas, she couldn't help but feel left out at times.

"Mmmhmm. And that's why you're sitting here with me and not with them." Hook nodded to the other chatting patrons with a disbelieving brow raised.

"I'm not sitting with you. You're sitting with me." She made a face when she let her last sentence slip. Even she wanted to make fun of her now.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's why you're sitting here alone talking to yourself and not with them. Save for the stunningly handsome man beside you."

Ignoring his jibe, Aurora deduced in a flat tone, "So you're following me... because you're lonely."

"I am not lonely." Forced Hook with a little more volume than he should have used while rolling his eyes. "I'm just looking out for us lone souls. By trying. To find the right time. To apologize." Aurora almost missed the last part because Hook had ducked away when he grumbled it out.

"Well! I'm listening." goaded Aurora, straightening her back. It was extremely difficult keeping a straight face in front of Hook's embarrassed look.

"I, Killian Jones, apologize for choosing the losing side." Aurora scoffed and began to turn away from him. "Unclench! I'm only joking." Again, Aurora waited as Hook took a breath preparing to apologize then looked straight into her eyes.

"I'm sorry I stole your heart and gave it to Cora. After my past with that kind of magic, I swore to myself that I would never do that, especially to a woman. And yet, as the spineless pirate that i am, I sold the one moral that I had to get revenge." His voice was dark and rough. "The irony of it is unbearable. And so, again, I'm sorry."

Surprised at the seemingly genuineness of his speech and curious about how exactly the situation was ironic, Aurora let out a " Thank you."

They continued to stare at each other. After a few moments Hook's eyebrows rose expectantly.

"Do you expect me to forgive you now? I don't think an 'I'm sorry' and a hot chocolate equal the proper price for forgiveness for what you did." Said Aurora shaking her head.

"Well then what, my dear princess, will grant me your so invaluable forgiveness?"

"What makes you think I will ever even be open to doing so?"

Again as Hook leaned in toward Aurora as the night before, she kept her ground. She wouldn't show him how that made her uncomfortable.

"Because even though I've completely betrayed you, I know your pure heart yearns to see the good in all of us hopeless fools."

He didn't sneer or grimace or react in any negative way when he spoke of her having a "pure heart." She took that as a compliment. She cleared her throat.

"Well I'm sure that whatever my 'pure heart' comes up with, it will be nice and fair and torturous for you."

"I expect nothing less." She could practically feel his victorious smirk once she turned away from him and left the diner.


	3. Snow

While Mulan had gotten a job at the the town gym as a trainer, Aurora began working at the library with Belle. It was a wonderful. It gave her a way to learn more about her new home. During the times she wasn't reshelving books, she had the chance to flip through them. Skimming biographies of past leaders, encyclopedias of foreign lands, and novels of civilizations in the sky. The books showed her that there was magic in this world past that of the holidays, it was just a different kind of magic.

It also allowed her time to think about her personal life. Mainly about her weird situation with the pirate captain. Their conversation the day before kept her awake all night, trying to think of something that satisfied his request for a way to earn her forgiveness. But she was at a blank. Either there was nothing that he could do that would sway her, or, she subconsciously didn't even want to be open to it.

"Aurora! Aurora you have to come outside! Come on!" A wild beaming Belle ran to her helper and grabbed her arm, practically dragging her towards the doors.

"What is going on Belle?" Aurora got her answer once the brunette had her outside. Once she saw what got her friend so excited, a large excited smile began to grow on her own face. It was the first snowfall of the year. The entire town began to trickle out of their shops and businesses to stand on Main Street to see the white flakes fall to the ground.

Being from the Sands, Aurora had never seen snow outside of paintings and pictures in books from the palace. It was even more wonderful in person. It was like a dream. There a stillness and quiet in the air. She giggled as the flakes clung to her eyelashes tickling her cheeks. The sound and feel of the snow crunching beneath her feet was a welcome new sensation. But knocking her out of her pleasant daydream, she shrieked when she was hit in the chest by something hard, wet, and cold.

"What was that?" She asked a laughing Belle who was rubbing her hands together for warmth.

"It's a snowball! Snowball fights were always one of my favorite parts of winter back in the old world." And with that, Belle ran off to join the school children who were already in the midst of battle now that school was let out.

Aurora watched in disbelief. She couldn't understand how they could be having fun inflicting such unpleasant feelings on each other.

At that thought, she was struck with an idea.

With Belle's direction, Aurora arrived at the docks where Hook was given the job to run and maintain them. She found him shoveling the mounds of snow off of the docks into the water and salting the wooden piers. He felt her presence, turned to look at her then went back to his work.

"I didn't sign up for this kind of work you know. Damn weather. I didn't have to deal with this on the sea. Only had to worry about the deadly storms that had the strength to drown us. Much prefer that over this. At least is was exciting." Grumbled Hook. Aurora still stood on the land watching him shovel. Hook sighed and paused his shoveling.

"I suppose you're not here for a friendly chat."

"Of course not."

"Have you already come to a conclusion about my punishment?" Hook put down his shovel and began to walk towards her.

"I don't know about a 'conclusion,' but it's a start." Said Aurora as she raised her chin.

"Alright princess. I'm listening." Hook gave her a slight bow as he opened his arms to her.

Aurora opened her mouth only to shut it again, giving him a wary glare. "Are you serious? Do you really care if I forgive you or not? Or is this just some sort of ploy so you can turn around and humiliate me in some way?" That had been one of the many thoughts that raced through her mind the night before.

"Even though not even I trust myself at all times, I meant what I said yesterday. You and I - and your friend - should have each others' backs as latecomers to the Storybrooke club. How are we supposed to do that if you two continue to hate me?" Of course. It wasn't about them. It was about him and his continuous need to protect his own backside.

"Even if I forgave you I could still hate you." Aurora crossed her arms and looked at him defiantly.

"Of course you could sweetheart." Smirked Hook. "But then you'd only hate me for me, not for this mistake of mine." He continued to smirk at her until she turned from him and began walking back toward the town forcing him to trail after her.

"Well where are you going? I thought you'd come to give me your royal decree!" Hook was thoroughly confused.

"I am." Once Aurora put enough distance between them she turned back to him, her eyes large and innocent. "I just needed you to stand her and not over there." Hook barely had the chance to get out his, "Wha-," when Aurora yelled, "Okay Henry!"

Suddenly the young boy jumped out from behind one of the buildings, his many classmates following suit, and before Hook could react they began to pelt him as hard as they could with finely packed snowballs.

"What the hell?!" Cried Hook as he was hit from all sides by the frosty projectiles, trying but failing to protect himself.

"Now, now! Language Hook!" The children continued to throw their weapons, laughing in delight as they did so. "I thought this punishment was fitting for what you did to me. It's cold, hard, it stings, almost burns from how cold it is." Yelled Aurora.

Lowering his arms, Hook was looking angrier and angrier, shooting the kids deadly looks whenever he had a chance to crack his eyes open in between shots to the face. Anxiousness pooled in Aurora's stomach. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea. She had come across Peter Pan And Wendy one day and read the story remembering Emma mentioning the names once when she spoke of Hook. She knew of his past with children who angered him. She didn't want to be responsible for a sequel here in Storybrooke.

"Okay kids! That's enough! Thank you!" The children stopped their attack and ran away laughing. Henry gave her a parting smile and wave, one which Aurora returned. Aurora went back to studying Hook. He was breathing heavily, his eyes still shut and shoulders tense. He was entirely soaked and his face was pink from the ice.

"I just wanted you to feel what I felt." Aurora felt the need to explain to him why she chose this punishment. "To feel so cold from the hollowness, pain at thinking of my heart in the enemy's hands. An enemy who would've crushed it without a second thought if she felt like it. That's all."

Hook slowly faced her and opened his eyes, his hair dripping onto his face. "Do you forgive me yet?" He growled.

After a beat, Aurora answered in a quiet voice, "No."

He looked into her eyes, his own hard and said, "Then go ahead. Keep it coming. I can take it."

Biting her lip, she hesitated. But then suddenly, feeling the emotion welling inside her, she scooped up large handfuls of snow, packing them as hard as she could, aimed, and roughly hit him square in the nose. Hook groaned, but took the hit and the many that came quickly after. She kept throwing them at him while she got closer, hitting him in the face and neck over and over until she was feet away from him throwing one last particularly hard lob into his face knocking him onto his backside into the snow.

Aurora stood at his feet looking down at him. The handicapped villain sitting in the freezing show, the skin on his face and neck a now burning raw red. He still kept his eyes shut, attempting to keep his labored breathing controlled. She expected him to give up after the first few snowballs were thrown, deeming his mission to get her forgiveness a waste of time. That it really wasn't worth so much after all.

But there he was. Sitting before her willing to be tortured and humiliated even more after not even trying to shield himself from the blows once she explained that this was her trial for him.

She leaned over him and held out her hand. He opened his eyes and looked up to her, at her hand, then grabbed it, allowing her to help pull him to his feet.

"Thank you princess." The 'thank you' was for more than the hand she lended and the end of the snowball shower. They both knew it.

His face was tense like he was trying to control himself, but she knew it wasn't from anger at her. His raw skin looked as if from every slight change of wind, a new surge of pain erupted and he didn't want to let her see it affect him. Neither said anything as Aurora nodded in response, the cold mask that she had been wearing whenever she saw him before was gone.

He turned from her and began walking away from the docks, guarding his face from the winter air with his now snow soaked scarf.

"Where are you going?" Aurora called after him.

"To visit the good doctor. Maybe he can make me a new face to replace the one you surely mauled beyond recognition." Even though it must have been unbearable for him to speak, he of course couldn't leave without one last quip.

Aurora watched him pad through the layers of snow. It covered all that was there before, making everything look new and beautiful. Like Storybrooke was a completely different place than it was before.

Like Captain Hook might be a different kind of man.


	4. Candy Canes

It had been a long day at work for Aurora. Belle had arranged for a special day for the kids of the town where she read them books like The Night Before Christmas and The Nutcracker while Aurora handed out gingerbread men and candy canes. Mr. Gold had over prepared Belle with a rather large stock of candy canes, leaving Belle and Aurora with extra to keep for the rest of the month. But before she left for the day, Aurora had grabbed a couple and stuffed them in her purse. This holiday and its many sweets were terrible for her sweet tooth.

She was walking down Main Street, the light poles encased by swirling white and red ribbons to resemble the holiday candies.

A block away she spotted the back of a dark figure, his long coat's collar pulled up to his cheeks, his scarf pulled up to his face. Hook. She watched as he suddenly stopped, his head turned toward the pawn shop across the street. Happy Storybrookers who walked by instantly sobered when they saw him. They either briskly walked around in large arcs, choosing to walk in the street than chance being too near him, or they chose to change sides of street altogether. But he didn't notice. He was focused on the pawn shop's facade.

Aurora felt her feet pulling her towards Hook. Her mind replaying the scenes from the day before. Hook in the snow, face aflame, soaking wet and freezing, all to be forgiven by her. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt in her stomach for doing something like that. It only felt worse when she saw how he must be even more of an outcast than her.

She shouldn't feel that way though. He deserved to be ignored. He deserved what she did.

Nevertheless, she walked up behind him, hands behind her back, and cleared her throat. The noise effectively snapped Hook out of his trance, him doing a double take when he sees that it's her. The tense set of his face melted away.

"Come to see the damage you've inflicted on me?" She noticed that Hook's face and neck were littered with small cuts. Again, how snowball fights could be considered fun Aurora could not understand.

"You asked for it. You're not allowed to complain." Hook made a face and began walking again, Aurora followed.

"I have something for you." Aurora piped up, cheeks pink. Hooks studied from the side. "I have a new hook for you." He stopped in his tracks looking at her in disbelief his eyes wide.

Aurora drew her hand from behind her back, unable to keep a straight face and cracked a smile. Instead of a hand, the hook of a candy cane protruded from her sweater where she held the staff. She erupted in giggles when his face abruptly changed from wonder to a quite unamused glare. He swiftly turned and began walking away from her.

"Admit it. That was funny." She called after him as she skipped to catch up to him.

Hook made no move to slow down as he threw over his shoulder, "I don't think our relationship is developed enough for jokes."

Finally reaching his side and matching his pace, Aurora huffed, "You make fun of me every time we speak."

He just kept walking faster. He was angry. "Well I have wit. I'm sorry to break it to you sweetheart but humor isn't one of your many fairy-given gifts."

"Well your 'wit' is one of your many devil-given gifts that only give everyone more incentive to hate you."

"I don't care that they hate me." A pause, then Hook gruffly corrected himself. "No! I want them to hate me. Because that means they fear me."

"What?"

"They hate me because they fear me. Hate is easier to feel than fear." Hook's voice lowered, dark from his thoughts of what the word 'hate' spurned in him.

"So you want everyone in town to hate you or to be scared of you." Aurora thought of all the Storybrooke citizens who didn't want to be anywhere near him. He certainly had what he claims he wanted.

"Of course. I'm the big bad man!" Hook finished with a coy smirk and a raise of his brow.

"If you're so proud of that, then why were you moping to me the other day about being excluded from the rest of town?" She felt that his words were genuine. It couldn't have been just more empty talk to sway her to get what he wanted. She refused to believe it.

"That was to get you to forgive me for that 'one thing.' And we've already been over you hating me. I don't care." Hook enunciated. "And what's with the investigation? What's it to you if I don't care if no one likes me?" He studied her with a pointed look.

"I don't." She quickly responded, eyes sharp.

Hook turned to her with knowing eyes, slowing his pace so they were barely moving. "Someone's been mulling over my words. You are lonely."

"I am not!" Aurora cried indignantly. "And you never say anything of substance worth pondering longer than a minute."

"You are! I've seen your friend Smiles quite a few times. But rarely with you. She's bonded quite well with that muscular chap of hers." The thought of Mulan moving on with her old general stirred unwanted resentment in her. She loved her friend dearly, but she couldn't help but feel jealous of Mulan whenever she went out to spend time with the general leaving Aurora alone in the apartment watching Christmas movies by herself.

"It's not about me. It's about you. It's not healthy for anyone for the murderous man in town to stew in hatred and fear." If he was to stew then he would surely become engulfed in his evil side once again and he would be no use to her. So it was about her. And he wouldn't do what she wanted if it was for her.

"And, what? You want to offer yourself to me as some sort of stand-in mate? That having some person who doesn't show their fear or hate for me will somehow keep me from wanting to unleash my murderous rage?" From his mocking expression, it was obvious that the idea of them as more than just acquaintances with a twisted past was ridiculous to him.

"Fine. Forget it." Ordered Aurora roughly, her cheeks heating in embarrassment. "You got what you wanted yesterday. I just thought that since you brought up the point of us being on the fringe of this town, and that Christmas only makes it worse - I thought..." Aurora trailed off. Why did she bring this up again? This was ridiculous.

"What?" Intrigued, Hook urged her to keep speaking.

"I said forget it!" Aurora began walking in a quicker pace, trying to shake him so she wouldn't have to go through with what she started.

"You want to be Christmas buddies?" By this point, Hook's was full of mirth. Aurora hated it. "You go from trying to kill me with snowballs to wanting to be my friend?"

"I never said friends - I just - We both are alone here." She threw his words from the other day back at him. "This holiday is about spending time with friends and family. I just thought that we could be alone. Togeth- Around each other." She stuttered out the last part hoping he wouldn't catch on to what she almost said.

His jaw slacked, Hook just stared at her with disbelief, amusement, and an inkling that he thought she was crazy.

"I said forget it!" Aurora quickly turned around and began making her way back towards the library even though her original course home was the opposite direction. She cursed herself for being so stupid. She didn't know why she said any of that, or why she was so disappointed that he looked at her that way.

But before she could get too far, she felt him grab her wrist stopping her. "Hold it there princess."

Aurora turned back around, face passive, and there's a frustrated Hook. "Well you said that was for me didn't you?" he asked pointing to the candy cane. She could barely contain her smile as her mouth twitched to the side as she handed it to him.

"To Christmas!" He waved the cane in the air and caught the stem in his teeth. At the sight, Aurora's vision was replaced with a flash of him on a deck, sea air ruffling his hair, a dagger replacing the candy cane making him look like the the terrifying pirate he was.

What an odd pair they made. But still, if she spent the holiday with him she wouldn't have to be anyone else's tag along. And neither would have to be alone.


	5. Christmas Tree

Aurora knocked on the door of the living quarters on the second floor of the main building of the docks, Hook's home. The building was old, the red paint chipped, and the wood weathered from the sea air. Aurora wrapped her sweater closer around her shivering shoulders as she waited for Hook to open the door, having heard his footsteps inside. The man finally opened the door and leaned against the doorframe, a smile slowly sliding onto his face. Aurora pursed her lips at the bottle of beer in his hand. It was barely dusk.

"Well hello there buddy!" Mocked Hook. "What are you doing here?"

"I have something us to do that Mulan is already going to with her friend."

"Hmm." Hook sipped his beer. He still blocked the doorway, keeping Aurora from escaping the freezing winds or from seeing the inside.

Aurora raised her brow, "Are you going to let me in?" Her eyes darted inside behind his shoulder, rising on her toes ever so slightly, suddenly extremely curious as to what his living space looks like. She knew that adjusting to this world's strange utilities definitely took patience and an open mind. Even growing up surrounded by the grand plethora of objects that only the highest of classes could afford didn't prepare her for things like microwaves, heaters, and television. It must have been even more odd for a man who was used to living on a ship.

Hook caught on to what she was trying to do and closed the door behind him, thus stopping any chances of her getting a glimpse into his daily life. Aurora rolled her eyes at him as if she didn't care at all. He just tilted his head and smirked at her.

"I don't want to see your lair anyway." She pouted. "It's probably littered with empty bottles of that and all other kinds of filth." Said Aurora pointing to his beer bottle.

"Of course you don't sweetie." Hook crossed his arms and released a heavy sigh. "Now what do you want?"

Aurora smiled.

She told him that he didn't have to get there when it first started, but this was cutting it close. There was only five minutes left until they lit Storybrooke's official Christmas tree at the town nursery. Hook had already missed the school children's carol performance, but then again maybe that was a good thing. He would have dampened her enjoyment of it with his rude commentary the entire time.

Aurora had given up walking around in circles through the crowd looking for him. She knew she couldn't trust him. He never took her seriously. She was better off without him. Aurora kept repeating these thoughts in her heads, trying to push away the welling disappointment inside.

"Princess!" Surprised, she jerked her head towards the voice and the man who was walking toward her, clad in his usual leather jacket and deep red scarf, another dark glass bottle in his hand. The small smile that began to form at his arrival dropped for a judgemental glare.

"You're having another?"

"I'm going to be needing it to get through this." Said Hook as he reached her side, taking a large swig.

And with that, together they stood side by side in the crowd facing the large dark tree in the front yard of the nursery. On the podium next to it was Regina, the once Evil Queen and now Mayor of Storybrooke. She took the opportunity that the tree lighting ceremony provided to speak to the town as a whole. The reforming Queen spoke of her earnest hopes that everyone would see this tree as inspiration for a new beginning as she does. Touched, feeling the true emotions behind her words, Aurora chanced a glance at the man next to her only to quickly duck her head away in embarrassment when he let out a hard laugh at Regina's words of reformation, obviously not feeling the same. Regina and the people around them shot annoyed glares at the pirate and his friend for the interruption while Aurora returned an apologetic face. Regina finished her speech and left them with a "Merry Christmas" and with a wave of her hand the tree was lit. The crowd erupted in cheers at the twinkling tree. Aurora clapped along with them, elbowing Hook hard in the arm holding his beer to get him to clap too. He acquiesced with three short claps of his own as he turned to her with a clenched jaw for making him spill his drink.

As the crowd began to take pictures and thin out, Hook turned to the princess with a bored expression, "Well that was fun and exciting. See you when I see you sweetheart," and he began to walk away.

"No that's not it!" Before he could get too far Aurora grabbed his leather sleeve and pulled him back. Hook pointedly looked at her fingers clutching the fabric at his elbow, she immediately let go and took a step back.

"I need a tree for the apartment and you," pointed Aurora, "are going to help me."

"Oh am I?" He wryly asked.

"Yes. You don't see me chopping down a tree now do you?"

Hook looked her up and down, Aurora's cheek's heated at his gaze. "No, but I certainly don't imagine myself doing it either. "Answered Hook. "I'm a pirate not a woodsman."

But once Aurora made her way without him to where they were handing out saws and axes, reaching to grab one of the saws she was stopped when Hook's hand came out from behind her and grabbed it himself, the bottle gone. He nodded towards the small field of trees behind the nursery and grumbled, "Let's go get your tree."

From then on they walked through the maze of trees, Hook pointing out with his saw every tree that they passed wanting to get the night over with. Aurora shot down every recommendation finally announcing to him, "If I see one that I like that will also fit in my apartment I will tell you!" Leaving him silent, they walked side by side. Surprisingly, even though their normal back and forth didn't include lulls, the silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. Maybe it was because they weren't exactly alone. Aurora spotted David chopping at a tree, Emma steadying it, and Snow standing a few feet away with her hands on Henry's shoulders in front of her. She smiled at the happy family. They were so lucky to be together again, to be surrounded with so much love. And here she was with the villain of Storybrooke.

She was interrupted from her bittersweet thoughts once she finally spotted a tree in an area where there weren't very many people. It wasn't very tall or thick, but it's shape was clean with a fine tip. It was the perfect size as to not overpower her modest little home. As she approached it, a smile pulled at her cheeks. She could see it in her home, right at the corner next to the small fireplace. Glittering ornaments and a chain of lights would adorn it, and underneath there would be a quaint number of presents for Mulan and the rest of her friends. Maybe even one for Hook.

At the thought of him, she remembered that he was there with her. She looked at him next to her critically studying the tree..

"Really? This one? You don't want anything more...grand for your royal tastes?" The question come out as a dig at her, but it was also a genuine curiosity. He didn't see how the princess, who was so adamant on keeping her pristine royal appearance both back in the old world's forest and now here in Storybrooke, would want a tree that wasn't as robust as some of the others.

But not even Hook's pessimistic tone could poison her sprouting happiness at finally finding her tree. She continued to look at it with a warm smile, thinking of how it would soon look.

"That's exactly why I like it. It's simple. It has the potential to be something wonderful." Hook watched as her smile became even larger lighting up her face as he's never seen it. And then she giggled as she leaned in towards the pines, "Not to mention the smell is so fresh and Christmasy!"

When she turned back to Hook, ready to be made fun of, she thought she saw a small smile on his own face but it was gone before she was sure once he turned away from her and sniffed the tree himself.

"I suppose it does smell good," he mumbled.

She flashed a smile at him for his comment as he began his process of sawing the bottom of the trunk. As he did so, he thought about the princess and her now happy countenance. Ever since he met her, especially after the Cora incident, he has never seen her without some sort of darkness weighing on her. But because of this little tree that so many people had deemed unworthy, she had begun to glow again like he imagined she did before her life went to hell.

Not that he had been thinking about her recently. It's just that she has been the only one he has been pseudo-socializing with lately. That's it.

But as he continued to saw at the tree, he thought about her answer as to why she liked the tree. Even if it was rough around the edges, she saw something beautiful inside of it, a potential she said. For some reason, Hook couldn't stop himself from thinking, what if she thought that about him? He remembered telling her at Granny's that she had a "good heart" that couldn't help but try to see the good in even the worst people, but those were just words to try and sway her, using her naivete to get her forgiveness. But now it seemed as though he was right. She must truly see something in him that she finds good enough to inspire her to actually try and become friends with him or she wouldn't have bothered. Even if the proposition was just for the month.

Hook couldn't define how this idea made him feel. He was the bloody Captain Hook for god's sake. The most feared pirate on the seas and this sad little princess believed that there was a fuzzy side to him? Ridiculous. But on the other hand, something about Aurora's smile as she looked at the tree and when she looked at him when he agreed about the smell affected something inside of him.

He slowed his sawing as he neared the last of the tree trunk while at the same time reaching a chilling realization. He liked it when Aurora was happy. He liked it more when he had a hand in her happiness.

Hook finally cut through the last of the wood and pushed the tree away from him and Aurora knocking it onto the snow. Aurora gave him a quick pat on the shoulder, a bright "Good job!," and left him to find out exactly how they were to get the tree to his truck without ruining it.

Watching her make her way through the trees in her purple wool poncho, Hook decided that maybe he should put more effort into this "Christmas Buddies" arrangement.


	6. Angel

Hook knocked hard on Aurora's apartment door about an hour later than when she had told him to arrive. Just because he decided to give their arrangement a better go didn't mean that he was going to do everything she ordered. The door opened, and instead of his princess's face Mulan stood before him with a harsh look.

"Hello." He crooned. Mulan slightly opened the door further but still blocked the pirate from entering the apartment. She intensely looked him up and down, his spine tingled, her gaze felt as if it was piercing his skin. But Hook didn't let her on to his discomfort.

"Admiring the view?" Mulan only raised her chin at his tease and commanded, "Turn around."

Tongue in cheek, Hook complied with his hands in the air. "I must say I like your forwardness. I had no idea you had an interest in little old me." Hook joked once he finished his turn, leaning in toward Mulan trying to glean some kind of fluster from her but he had no luck. She was still as hard and cold as her old armor whenever she was around him.

Mulan moved to the side finally letting him through. Aurora walked up to them from the kitchen area, taking off her apron that held light splatters of flour.

"Sorry about that. She's just worried about you killing me."

Hook clutched his chest over his heart, "I'm truly hurt. If I wanted to kill her I would've already," he squinted at Aurora. The snowballs were incredibly unpleasant.

"It was surprising to hear that you succumbed yourself to that, but you still should have told me what you were doing Aurora." Mulan went from glaring him down to addressing her friend with worry in her voice, the most emotion he had ever been privy to from the warrior girl. "I should be around whenever he is. You can't trust him." Mulan stood in between Hook and Aurora, trying to protect her friend from whom she believed was still very much the enemy.

Hook just stuck out his bottom lip and raised his brows, pulling his most innocent face. "Calm yourself and lower the proverbial sword. Haven't you heard? We're besties now so no need for such mistrust." He began to walk around the room taking in the living quarters, trying to form a more accurate picture of this new princess. It appeared that she wasn't as hapless in the ways of fending for herself without her royal maids as he had originally thought as he sniffed the air scented of sweet baked goods. The walls of the small apartment were a painted exposed brick. The tables and chairs were wooden and rickety, the same old leftovers that were given to him, but unlike his cluttered excuse for a home, their's was warm. He could tell that Aurora had put effort into it, Mulan didn't seem like the sort to decorate. Detailed fabrics were thrown over the table and the back of the sofa heightening the quality of the few pieces of furniture they had, and the stringed white lights that lined the molding of the room gave the room a glow. She was certainly making do of the little she had.

"Don't worry Mulan." Aurora's voice interrupted his inspection. "There's still a healthy amount of mistrust. Just because Hook's without a weapon doesn't mean that I am as well." There was a playful look in her eyes, but he could tell that it wasn't just talk.

"Hmm." Hook ignored the slight sting he felt at her words. "Don't worry sweetheart. I'm not hurt. Appease your bodyguard. And speaking of the devil, is she staying?"

"I don't understand why you've been spending so much time with him." Mulan shook her head, her eyes wide as she stared at the two of them in disbelief.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

Aurora ignored him as she wrapped an arm around her friend. "Mulan, It's okay. You can go to work. Neither of you have to suffer each other's presence."

Hook wore a smug grin as Aurora hugged her friend and lead her through the wreathed door. But Mulan couldn't leave without throwing him a stinging warning glare, and she didn't have to vocalize her silent threat. If he did anything untoward, he'd surely be missing another limb.

The door closed behind her, leaving Hook and Aurora alone in the room. Toying with the glove on his fake hand, Hook watched Aurora as she turned back into the kitchen area to return the apron. This was the first time they had been alone together and in an enclosed space since migrating to Storybrooke. Since she was captured by Cora and he took her heart. He took a few mindless steps around the room keeping his eyes focused on her movements across the kitchen island, trying to gauge her thoughts as she moved to clean up. He was surprised that she had invited him over, even more so to have been invited into her home without the presence of her roommate and protector. If he was the princess, he didn't think he'd make the same decision. But Aurora had decided to put some trust in him. Some. She had mentioned she had weapons.

"So Princess, what's the activity for tonight?" He asked her as she joined him in the living area, the bushy green tree he cut down for her the night before in the corner.

"You're helping me decorate our tree." Aurora amusedly motioned towards the box full of colored glass bulbs and strings of bundled lights sitting on the sofa. She moved the decorations closer to the tree and began her work.

The Captain Hook prettying up a tree with baubles to make a little princess happy? That almost seemed like too much. Being friends was going to take more effort than originally planned. Hook allowed himself a roll of his eyes and a heavy sigh before he joined her at the tree helping her twine the lights.

After an hour or two of background music, cookies, and fights over the best arrangements of decorations, it was finally the time to top the tree with the angel that Belle had given Aurora and Mulan.

Aurora, standing on one of her rickety chairs and daring to rise on the tips of toes, finally set the angel on top of the tree. The chair's uneven legs caused her to rock and she lost her balance for a brief moment as the chair rose up on the front set of legs. She sucked in a large breath in surprise and in preparation for the prickly impact of the tree; but before she could, she felt an arm around her stomach and the chair halted in its leaning forward. Aurora, her feet still perched on the edge of the seat, grabbed Hook's arm on her stomach as he steadily pushed the chair back down with his good hand.

"That was a close one. You have to be more careful Princess. You don't want to scar that pretty face of yours." Hook rasped. He was less than a foot away from her; his head just under her chin. She could feel the lightness of his breath on her neck. She could barely cough out a "Thank you" as he retracted his arm, the gloved fingers of his prosthetic grazing her stomach. He smiled at her good naturedly with only a hint of smarm, turned, and went back to his side of the tree, bending down to pick up the ornaments he dropped in the action to catch her.

Aurora slowly stepped off the chair and returned it back to the table. She could still feel her heart pounding hard in her chest. The almost-fall sent her heart into a shock that she hadn't felt since the move to quaint and quiet town. She watched Hook from the corner of her eye as he hung the final few ornaments on her tree as if nothing had happened.

Hook stood up and brushed off his pants, stepping back to give the tree a once over. "Not too shabby job." He turned back to the confused Aurora. "You were right. It does look perfect now that it's all done up."

"It is perfect." She replied honestly. What was wrong with him? All night, he had been almost pleasant following her directions on how to correctly fix up the tree, save for the times he argued that they looked better elsewhere only to relent later. Not that she didn't prefer this odd side of him, but she couldn't decide if it put her more on edge than she already was being alone with him. She had expected him to make some kind of lude snarky comment when he had her literally in his arms. It felt as though she would never get used to his unpredictable behavior.

As Aurora let the Captain out, he stopped in the doorway and twisted back around, all smarmy pirate brows.

"You know you do resemble that little angel of yours. So white, so innocent, but falling down to the depths to meet the dirty devil." Hook leaned in with a hot whisper, bracing his arms on the beams of either side of her.

"And there it is." Aurora calmly raised a regal brow and shoved him the rest of the way through the door closing it behind him. She smiled when she heard a short deep laugh from the hallway.

**Author's Note:**

> This was obviously a fic I was writing in December when my Sleeping Hook love was at an all time high.  
> Reposting here because it basically still feels like winter. Right now I only have 6 chapters, but I hope to add on soon even though it isn't Christmas. Everyone can do with a little holiday spirit every once in a while right?


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